Weather Conditions and Car Accidents

Contents

When the weather turns bad, the chances of an auto accident can increase
substantially. This article discusses some of the more common ways in
which weather affects driving safety.

Diminished Visibility

During rain storms and snowstorms, the failing rain or snow can make
it difficult for drivers to see. When snow or rain is combined with
dirty water or slush thrown up from the road by other drivers, windshields
can quickly become dirty. Similarly, fog can significantly impair visibility
and render headlights ineffective.

During times of the year when the
weather is likely to turn bad, drivers should ensure that they have
sufficient windshield solvent to wash dirt and salt from their windshields.

Should visibility become dangerously bad, drivers should try to find
a safe way to get off of the roadway until visibility improves.

Diminished Traction

Bad weather conditions can make it more difficult to stay on a roadway,
to stop, or to avoid colliding with other vehicles. Drivers must adjust
their speed out of respect for water, snow or ice on the road surface.
Sometimes even a light snowfall will obscure defects in the road, or
cover up a patch of ice, necessitating driver vigilence

Strong Wind

Strong or sudden cross-winds can make it difficult for drivers to stay
in their lane. Following a snowfall, sometimes snow will be blown across
a roadway, obscuring the road surface including possible patches of
ice.

Conduct of Other Drivers

In bad weather conditions, there are two types of driver who can significantly
increase the risk to others. For lack of better terms, we'll refer to
them as the excessively timid driver, and the reckless maniac.

The Excessively Timid Driver - An excessively timid
driver will overestimate the danger of the weather conditions, and
will drive at an unreasonably low speed. When the weather limits the
number of available traffic lanes, such as can happen following a
snowfall, this type of driver can cause traffic to back up. On a highway,
this may inspire other drivers to try to pass by entering a traffic
lane that is full of snow, slush, or ice, creating the risk of accident.
On a regular roadway, their low speed may make it more difficult for
other drivers to turn, or may cause cars to become stuck in accumulated
snow or slush as they do not have sufficient momentum to pass through
the obstruction.

The Reckless Maniac - This type of driver will completely
ignore the consequences of weather, or may even think it is a good
thing that the weather has forced a lot of other drivers off of the
road. The reckless maniac may well drive at full highway speed or
greater, even when visibility is low or the roads are covered with
slush and ice. Often this driver will be in a four wheel drive vehicle,
and will assume that 4WD somehow makes it impossible for a vehicle
to skid. When a sudden emergency arises, or they lose control on a
slippery road, their high speed makes it far less likely that they
will be able to avoid a collision.

Changes of Season

On the whole you are most likely to encounter drivers who respond poorly
to weather conditions as the seasons change, or when weather conditions
are unusual for the location. What would be regarded as a light snowfall
in a northern state may cause gridlock in the south. Following a heavy
rain after a dry spell, or after the first snowfall of the year, it
takes some drivers a while to adjust to the weather conditions.